When Christel House South Africa opened its doors for the first time in January 2002, the vision of its founder, Christel DeHaan, was to break the cycle of poverty by equipping learners with tools to build a life of dignity, success and self-sufficiency. She believed that every child deserved hope, the spirit to dream and the chance for a better future. She understood the importance of providing opportunities, which became the thread woven throughout all Christel House learning centers.
Christel House South Africa began with 300 learners in 2002 in grades 1 through 5. Now in 2008, the school has grown to 575 learners, grades 1 through 11, for an overall student retention rate of over 87% since the school's inception—a truly remarkable statistic for children living in some of Cape Town’s most poverty-stricken communities. In 2009 the school will proudly graduate its first Grade 12 class.
Christel House children come from families that fall below the poverty line in South Africa. They come from neighborhoods where gang violence erupts regularly, where physical, sexual and emotional abuse is commonplace and where the future is obscured by the challenges of daily survival.
To change the world one child at a time, it is essential to be realistic about the child's current reality. In South African our families caught in the cycles of poverty, violence, neglect, HIV/AIDS, unemployment, substance abuse, gangsterism, illiteracy and other social ills. To transition a child from living this daily reality to believing that his or her dreams can actually be achieved—and then helping in the realization of those dreams—is indeed remarkable.
The work of Christel House therefore demands more than just teaching and providing a place for cognitive growth. This learning centre is holistic in its approach. We consciously try to narrow the gaps among the school, home and community. The ultimate aim of Christel House is to develop healthy citizens, functional homes, empowered individuals and stable communities, which will in its own way contribute to building a brighter future for South Africa.
